A Writer, A Detective, and A Vigilante?
by IsaBean
Summary: What happens when a murder takes place in a circus? How does a kid figure out that there is a pattern? Will The Young Justice team get in the way or help out the case? Even though there mysteriously absent one member. Where is Robin? Why Does this "Snotty Rich Kid" (A name mentally give to him by Conner and Esposito) act like he knows so much about the team?
1. Chapter 1

"Thank Goodness! Murder!" Castle squealed in his usual upbeat way.

"Castle, don't be so happy." Beckett said plainly, knowing that it was not right to be so happy that someone died, even though he voiced everyone's thoughts. Let's just say the precinct had been **super** dull lately.

"Sorry." He mumbled under his breath as they slid into her car on the way to the crime scene.

When they got there it was, the murder had taken place on the grounds rented out for the circus. There was a giant poster hanging outside the tent that had written on it: **HALY'S CIRCUS**.

The body, broken and bloody, laid sprawled across the ground was the body of a performer. Simone Arian.

"Alright gimme something to work with Lanie." Kate said looking around the sight.

"She was on the tight rope. It broke. The performers are so used to performing that they don't need to use a net." She concluded with a sigh. "It was during a live act."

"Great," Kate said with a tinge of sarcasm, "so there are lots of eye-witnesses."

"Boss!" Ryan shouted from across the crime scene. "You might wanna come have a look at this."

"What is it Ryan?" she asked as she and Richard made their way over.

"The rope, it didn't just snap." He held up the frayed wire. "It was tampered with."

"Hey, Boy Wonder! How was school today?"

"It was fine Kid Mouth." The ebony haired boy responded as he plopped down on the couch with the rest of the team. Miss M had gotten home fairly early from practice and was baking some cookies from left over dough from the day before. She always tried to make extra. She walked over to where the team was spread across the living room.

_DING!_

"Cookies are ready!" she said cheerfully. But she said it just as the TV was changed to the news.

"_This is Kat reporting live from the site of the murder. 21 year old Simone Arian was killed in a staged attack. She was an acrobat at the Haly's International Circus. She died in the middle of her act." _The blonde on the TV said slowly and sadly.

"_Our regrets go out to the family, friends, and her fellow workers. This is Kat Grant reporting live from New York City. Gordon, back to you."_

Wally immediately looked at his best friend to his right. The team had dismissed it and had gotten some cookies, thinking it was just some freak accident, not having heard the word murder, but Wally knew better. Dick sat there frozen. Wally quickly turned off the TV and rested a hand on Dick's shoulder.

"You knew her didn't you?"

"She would baby sit us kids when our parents would go into the town." He said simply, he tried to shrug it off but let a tear slip past his glasses. "She was crazy nice. Never was the horrible stereotypical nanny. All she wanted to do was to have fun and do what she loved to do. She was so happy the day she was allowed her own act. It was live the stars had aligned for her. She had a great smile to." He sighed. "I think I'm gonna call Haly. He's gonna want to hear from me." He said softly, minding his words around his friends.

"She was a wonderful girl." Haly told Beckett on the sight.

"Can you tell me, did Simone have any enemies who might have wanted her dead?"

"Oh, no! Never! Simone was an angel. She was always there for everyone. The only person jealous of her would be Nadia Rufskivic, but the only reason for her is that she and Simone were up for the same job. Nadia needed a bit more time to get acquainted with the routines."

"They were up for the same job."

"Yes, and originally Simone accepted it. Only last night did she reject the new job."

"Whoa whoa whoa! She rejected it? Did she say why?" Castle asked raising a quizzical brow.

"Well we never knew for sure, but her friends suspected it was her over protective husband, or her brother." Then his phone shouted something about the flying something's that confused Kate.

"Excuse me this is an old friend of mine. I haven't heard from him in years." He picked up the phone and put it on speaker. "Hey Dick, how are you holding up? I'm guessing you found out."

'_Yeah pop's tell the police that I knew her. And if they want to talk to me they can.' A young mans voice came over the speaker. 'You remember the last time you came here what happened, right? Pop's it's a pattern.'_

"Dick, I'm Detective Beckett I need you to come down to the precinct, if you don't mind."

'_Course.' _And that was it, the line went dead.

"She was pregnant." Lanie said in autopsy.

"So that's why she said no." Castle said.

"Besides that her cause of death is pretty obvious." She said plainly as she looked over the cleaned body. She sighed. "She was beautiful."

"Oh Lanie. Most of 'em are." Kate said and left followed by Castle on her heels. "What Castle, no funny outlandish ideas."

"This isn't funny." He said plainly with a straight face.

"Um, there's a fourteen year old kid here to see ya Beckett." Javier said confusedly, as her and Richard entered their level. She turned on her heels to see the boy in an interrogation room waiting patiently. He was pale, he had raven black hair, and deep blue eyes. She knew exactly who he was.

"Richard Grayson. Didn't expect you to come."

"Dick. I prefer Dick, if you don't mind." He said standing sharking her hand, then seating himself back down.

"Of course." She said closing the door behind her and sitting down in front of him. She told Castle to wait in the other room. He guessed she was going for one of those 'Motherly Approaches'. "Thanks for meeting with me." She said smiling slightly, just enough to be encouraging but not overbearing like she was glad they met under these circumstances.

"I wanted to come, I knew Simmy before the-"he took in a slight gulp-"before the fall."

"Okay, it's okay. Now on the phone you said there was a pattern. Do you mind telling me this pattern that you saw?" she asked stretching her neck out a bit and resting a hand of his shaky palm. Normally Dick would be fine to talk to the police, it's just that the problem ran so close to home that it was hard for him to stay 'fine'.

He nodded after a few silent moments of him gathering his thoughts. "Three years ago something similar happened, not identical, but similar. A man in his thirties, he had a kid. She's my age."

"Can I ask her name?" she asked as she lifted her hand from his and clicked a pen.

"Sofia Adel Naomi. Her father also worked for Haly. He was killed." She took the moment of silence to write down the information.

"Is there anything else?" She asked glancing up at him.

"My parent's death…" He mumbled. "They were killed when I was seven. There equipment was also tampered with. They fell. They all fall. There all similar acts. They all involve the high wire, height, and balance. It's rare to see a professional fall!" He said with obvious frustration letting the light lisp that he tried so hard to hide, out.

She took a moment to let him calm down while adding a series of 'it's okay', and 'it'll be fine's.

"Dick, may I ask how you got here?"

"The butler, Alfred, he drove me. He knew it would take a while for me to talk with you so he left back for Gotham."

"Do you have a place to stay, if we ask you to do so?"

He gave a thoughtful look for a moment. Then shook his head 'no'.

"Well, you're welcome to stay with me, if your father allows." She said then gathered her papers and stood. Leaving him alone in the interrogation room.

He whipped out his phone.

"He Tati. Yeah, I have to stay….. No Barry doesn't need to pick me up. Tati its fine Central is two hours away. And I'm not making him speed!" he gave a light chuckle. "Can I stay with Detective Beckett?" There was audible typing on the other end, then a moment of silence as he knew his adopted father was reading Kathrine Beckett's file. There was a slight 'Mmmmmmhmmmm.' then a yes. "Thanks Tati."


	2. Seeing Her Again

Seeing Her Again

"Kay Thanks Detective Blake." Kate said hanging up the phone. She looked at the boy across the room. He sat there with Kevin and Javier talking and cackling. She smirked inwardly. It was especially amusing the way he could deduce the two.

"_Hey kid, I'm Detective Ryan."_

"_I'm Esposito."_

"_Dick, Dick Grayson." He said shaking their hands. "Pantene." He then mumbled. _

"_What?" Ryan asked._

"_You have sisters."_

"_How did yo-"_

"_You grew up to respect them because you were the only guy in the house. I can tell you respect them."_

"_How did you know all that?"_

"_Your shampoo."_

"_But-"_

"_Only guys that have an upbringing most influenced by women use Women's Shampoo. I'm guessing that that's what your mom bought and the entire house used it, am I right?"_

"_Yeah but-"_

"_You use ladies shampoo?" Javier asked Laughing like crazy._

Oh don't even get me started on his deduction of Esposito. Let's just say it was more embarrassing than Ryan's shampoo discovery. That's when she walked in. She came from behind Kate, leaded by Castle. He came over to Kate and placed a hand on her shoulder, then gestured to the girl behind him who seemed to be deep in thought.

"This is Sofia Naomi. She came to talk to you about her father."

Kate glanced at Dick. He was in his own little world, he didn't see Sofia and Sofia didn't see him. As of now, she wanted to keep it that way.

IIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Miss Naomi-"

"Sofia or Adel, please. I look for my mătușă-er- my aunt when you say Miss." She gave a light and slightly nervous chuckle. This time Kate let Castle in. He was grateful for that because he could tell that this girl needed both of them to get though the process.

"Sofia, we asked you here because there was a recent death at Haly's Circus, you might have heard about it. We think that there is a pattern and it may be related to your father's death." Castle said.

"Really?" she seemed suddenly nervous almost sickly so.

Kate stood and opened the door and yelled for Esposito to get the Garbage can. She could tell the young girl was about to hurl. Castle acted quickly going to the other side of the table and rubbing her back. She calmed slightly but her stomach was tight with nerves. Kate put the Can in front of her.

Dick was really confused he didn't know who was in the interrogation room or why they needed a trash can. He gave a puzzled look to Ryan who made his way over.

"Her name is Sofia Naomi she's fourteen."

"Sofie?" He got up and looked through the glass of the interrogation room door. He looked at the girl. She was tall, about his height, which was pretty tall for his age (He had grown in the last year since they started the team), he smiled at the fact that she still had the same wavy brown hair. Even though she looked sick she still looked beautiful. Which was a weird thought especially coming from Dick. He tapped lightly on the window. Kate looked up and nodded to him. He turned to nob and walked in.

"Hey Sofie." He said shyly. She looked up and froze momentarily before standing up and hugging him.

"Grayson." She said though a muffled breath.

"Hey."


	3. Fangirl Encounter

Kate and Rick left the two alone. Kate didn't exactly feel right doing it, but Castle insisted. After all, he did have more experience with kids. That's when his 'experience' walked in.

"Dad! Is it true? I saw it on the news!" Alexis said rushing into the room. The hyperactive ginger was practically glowing with excitement.

"Whoa, whoa, Alexis? How did you get up here?"

"Told them I knew Detective Beckett." She leaned in and whispered. "Everyone scared of her." The leaned away. "So is he really here?"  
"Who?"

"Richard Grayson? It's all over the news! They said he came to help out with the case! IS HE HERE!?" she shouted, Castle cringed.

"Yes he's here." He said bending over holding his ears in over dramatic pain.

"Introduce meeeeeeee!" she said jumping up and down. When it came to famous people, Alexis Castle was always overly excited. Being a fourteen year old fangirl didn't help that cause either.

"You have to ask Beckett." Her eyes widened.

"Can you just-"

"No, I will not face her rath alone. You ask!" he said

"Ask who what?" A boy's voice asked curiously. Alexis turned to see the boy she dreamed about. He was tall, with raven black hair, deep blue eyes, and-well Adorableness! She did the only thing she could think of doing.

She hugged him.

But she didn't just hug him, she practically Hug-Tackled him. His eyes went wide. He didn't exactly know what to do in response, he kinda just awkwardly patted her back. He just stood there doing that hoping that at any moment she would let go. He gave Castle the look. The 'Get this crazy girl off me'. Castle shrugged and gave the 'my daughter look'. Dick's gaze intensified, then softened. He sighed. He cleared his throat lightly. She quickly recoiled herself, retracting from her position.

"Sorry." She said rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. Her big blues looked nervous. "I kinda fangirled."

"Oh no its fine. I should be a little more used to it by now. Haven't been out of Gotham recently, so I guess I'm not as…" He paused and drew out the **as** trying to find the word to come next. "Refined with my fangirl encounters." He said settling on a word.

"Sorry."

"Ah, don't worry about it." He said giving her a little side hug. One that was much, much, much more gentle the Alexis'. With that he walked on. He turned back in mid stride. "Sorry, didn't get a name." giving his signature playboy smile. One that he picked up from Bruce.

Her heart melted. She could say anything.

"Her name is Alexis." Rick said looking board and tired with the situation.

"Thanks." He said and left.

He rounded the corner and finally found Beckett.

"Hey Dick." She said giving a light smile as she poured a cup of coffee then brought the cup to her lips.

"Can I talk to you, about Sofie?"


	4. Who Did It

"Okay. You want to go to the park?" She asked.

He nodded his head and they exited the building via the back stairwell. They walked around until they reached the park. She sat on a bench in front of a fountain and gestured for him to join her. He sat down and looked out at the fountain.

"She was my best friend. Sofie, I mean." He corrected himself. "After my parents died I didn't get to see her that often anymore, especially when she was on tour."

"That must have been hard for you."

"It was, especially since, that meant I had no-one. Of course I had Bruce and later I made friends, but I didn't have my rock anymore."

"Can you tell me a little about her?"  
"She's not like other girls, I can tell you that for sure." He gave a slight chuckle. "She and I were born into the circus. We were both part of different acts though. She was the high wire and my parents were the trapeze. We grew up together and were always around each other. Embarrassingly enough, when we were smaller and space as tight in the train-carts we would have to sleep with one another, as well as the other kids, of course." He giggled slightly.

Kate smiled. "Is there anyone that you can think of that would want to hurt your family as well as the others you grew up around?"  
His smile fell. "Before my parents died," he started then took a gulp. He felt like there was a knot in his throat. "They and Sofie's parents went into town. Here in New York. It was the night before the act so they decided to have some fun. Simone was watching us that night. Both of us. Our parents witnessed the murdered of a woman at the hand of a gang member. They told the police and said that they would testify. Later I put it together. I guess that when they told Simmy they came after her too." He said defeat in his tone.

"You think that the gang did this?"

He looked up at her in the eyes, his azure met her hazel. They locked.

"Yes, yes I do."


End file.
